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A survey from Xerox subsidiary Buck Consultants shows a 0.1-to-0.5 percent decline in the projected increase of healthcare benefit costs, a steady downward trend the company said started in 2010.
Xerox said Thursday data from the National Health Care Trend Survey, which 126 healthcare insurers and administrators of employer-provided medical plans responded to, indicated lower rates of increases compared to the past two years.
“This may be a result of the economic slowdown and its impact on consumers’ willingness to seek medical treatment,” said Harvey Sobel, a principal and consulting actuary at Buck who co-authored the survey with Daniel Levin.
The survey also reports a 0.7 percent decrease in the prescription drug trend but a 4.1 percent increase in Medicare Supplement plans.
According to Xerox, those trend factors are used in determining premium rates for health insurers and in budgeting potential healthcare costs for self-funded employers.
